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Infertility is one of the many major concerns that most couples face all over the world. Where some may opt for medical resorts to cure this issue, others may consider trying some home remedial measures first. One of the many options that you can consider for treating fertility issues is Vitamin C. Adding Vitamin C in the daily diet is said to improve fertility in both men and women. But does it really help? If it does, in what quantities should you consume it? Read on to know how this vitamin impacts both you and your partner’s fertility.
What Is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. This vitamin gets flushed out of your system, hence it needs to be replenished on a daily basis. The best sources of this vitamin are fresh fruits and vegetables; however, it can also be taken in the form of dietary supplements. Vitamin C helps the body in forming and maintaining the connective tissues, which include the bones, skin, and blood vessels. This vitamin also enhances the immune strength and assists in the repair and regeneration of the tissues. In short, this vitamin helps in performing many vital functions in a human body.
The Benefits of Vitamin C for Fertility
Apart from improving the immunity and keeping the ailments like a common cold and cough at bay, Vitamin C has been proved to improve fertility in both men and women. If you are trying to get pregnant but with no success, it’s time you consider adding this Vitamin to your diet. The intake of vitamin C helps improve the chances of conception. In the following sections, we shall separately discuss how it helps in improving male and female.
1. For Men
Consuming Vitamin C is known to improve sperm health and protect sperm DNA in men. The improved sperm quality thus reduces the chances of chromosomal defects and miscarriages. Sometimes oxidative damage may occur in the sperms due to the exposure to free radicals, in such cases, Vitamin C may help in protecting the sperms against free radical damage. Many studies have proved that men may experience low sperm health if they suffer from vitamin C deficiency. This vitamin not only aids the sperm quality but also improves sperm mobility.
2. For Women
There are many fertility issues that women face that hamper their chances of conception. Taking Vitamin C may help women deal with many infertility issues. This vitamin not only helps improve the hormonal balance of the body but the presence of ascorbic acid helps in regulating the ovarian function and the menstrual cycle. Vitamin C even helps in increasing the level of progesterone in the body, which is directly related to improving the uterine healthy by thickening the uterine lining. The chances of conception increase considerably in women who include vitamin C supplements in their daily diet than women who do not take any Vitamin C supplements.
How to Get Sufficient Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is abundantly available in fresh fruits and vegetables. However, as soon as you cut, cook, or process these fruits and vegetables, they start losing its nutritional content. Therefore, fruits and vitamins that are rich in vitamin C should be consumed soon after they are cut to get the maximum benefit from them. We shall be discussing some sources of Vitamin C that you can include in your daily diet.
1. Food Sources
- 1 medium-sized papaya – 160 mg
- 1 cup broccoli – 81.2 mg
- 1 cup bell peppers – 120 mg
- 1 medium-sized oranges – 70 mg
- 1 medium-sized kiwi – 64 mg
- 1 cup cauliflower florets – 55 mg
- 1 cup cantaloupe cut in cubes – 57 mg
- 1 cup pineapple cut in cubes – 80 mg
- 1 medium-sized guava – 126 mg
- 1 cup grapefruit juice – 73 mg
- 1 cup strawberries – 89.4 mg
- 1 cup sliced mango – 50 mg
- 1 cup kale – 82 mg
- 1 cup Brussels sprouts – 74.8 mg
These are some food sources of vitamin C that you may safely consume to improve your fertility.
2. Other Sources
Apart from the dietary sources, you may take vitamin C supplements also. You can ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin C supplements as per your body’s requirements.
Daily Intake of Vitamin C for Fertility
You and your partner can consume vitamin C for treating infertility issues and increasing your chances of getting pregnant. The best way to pep up your vitamin C intake is by consuming fresh fruits and vegetables; however, if you are not able to meet your required needs through dietary sources, then you can include supplements after consulting your doctor.
As per a study, a considerable increase in the sperm count, quality, and mobility was observed in men who consumed 1000 mg vitamin C was consumed twice a day for two months at a stretch. However, only 500 mg proved to be beneficial in improving the progesterone level in the body of women who faced luteal phase defects or were undergoing IVF treatment.
Ideally, you and your partner should include foods rich in Vitamin C, instead of adding supplements. Also, your Vitamin C needs may vary according to your health or the fertility issue you may be dealing with. Therefore, to know the correct daily intake of Vitamin C for improving fertility and conception, you should consult your doctor.
Whenever you try to have a baby, it is essential that you pay heed to your body’s nutritional needs. Eating healthy food is extremely important. Sometimes fertility issues may also crop up to due to certain dietary deficiencies in the body. Including all the vitamins and minerals in the right amounts will help you and your partner to battle the infertility issues. Moreover, you can add Vitamin C to your diet, it will help in treating fertility problems.
